Scarecrows adorning Okotoks’ downtown businesses won’t only capture the attention of those strolling by, but sports fans from across the country as well.
Merchants participating in this fall’s Olde Towne Okotoks Scarecrow Contest could have their business captured by Sportsnet in its promotion of next month’s Grand Slam of Curling Masters in Okotoks.
“It’s so exciting because we have an opportunity to a make a really big impact on a national stage,” said Cathy McVee, a volunteer with the Olde Towne Okotoks Merchants Group. “We want to make this a tourist attraction.”
The Olde Towne Okotoks Merchants Group is encouraging participants to decorate scarecrows for their businesses using a curling theme to promote the masters, which takes place at the Pason Centennial Centre from Oct. 25 to 30.
The merchants group sent emails to downtown business owners encouraging them to build scarecrows and dress up their windows to show their support for the masters.
“Using the curling theme is pretty cool because you can use your imagination,” McVee said. “You can use rocks, brooms or Google curling on your computer and it will give you all sorts of ideas.”
Bragg Creeks holds an annual scarecrow contest with great success each year, said McVee, who said she sees the same potential for Okotoks.
“There are 150 scarecrows in that tiny community and they get TV crews out and people taking pictures,” she said. “It’s become a tourist attraction. We want to make ours a tourist attraction.”
Mandy Patterson, a member of the merchants group who is helping to organize the event this year, said the scarecrow competition is a great way to increase people’s awareness around the Grand Slam of Curling Masters.
The scarecrows will remain on display until Oct. 31, the day after the masters wraps up.
Patterson, who owns the Cactus Club Salon and Spa, said she enjoyed participating in the competition two years ago and that they’re in the planning stages for this year’s scarecrow competition.
“It’s just great to collaborate with other people in your business and get them excited about stuff like that,” she said. “The first year that we had it, it was so fun to walk around and see how all the different businesses incorporated their own style in their scarecrows. I just think that any opportunity that local businesses can have to work together as a group to enhance the experience people have down here is great.”
The public is invited to vote for their favourite scarecrow on the Olde Towne Okotoks Facebook site by clicking on “like.”
Visitors who “share” the album will be eligible to win prizes donated by local businesses.
Among the prizes is 10 tickets to the opening day of the masters on Oct. 25.
The votes will be tallied on Oct. 21 and the winner will receive a $400 advertising package for the Western Wheel and The Eagle 100.9 FM.
